We chose this cruise to see if cruising was for us.(we are now converted) and after reading previous reviews on this site we had an open mind.My wife and I flew from NZ to Brisbane to link up with my wife's sister and partner and had 2 ... Read More

We chose this cruise to see if cruising was for us.(we are now converted) and after reading previous reviews on this site we had an open mind.My wife and I flew from NZ to Brisbane to link up with my wife's sister and partner and had 2 adjacent ocean view cabins on Baja deck(10).
Embarkation was well organised and the enthusiastic welcome as we walked onto the ship was the forerunner of excellent service and organisation from day 1 to day 7.
There was a real cross section of passengers, from children in strollers up to older people with walkers, some even with powered mobility scooters, plus a few groups celebrating birthday milestones.We are in the mid 60's to 70's range but the on board activities,entertainment,shows made us feel young.
Service and organisation in all areas was top notch and the food presentation and variety was excellent.We tried most restaurants and dining rooms and could not fault anything.The Sterling Steakhouse was brilliant,thoroughly recommend it, perhaps it could be expanded in size as it was booked out every night. Didn't see too many diners in the Japanese sushimi restaurant on this cruise.
We went ashore at Noumea and did a Hop on/Hop off tour that we picked up from the local Tourist centre, Not over impressed with Noumea but at least we can say we have been there.
Travelled overnight to the Isle of Pines and went ashore via the ships tenders.Spent a few hours on the island, had a swim, bought some souvenirs and generally strolled around.
Did not get off the ship next day at Mystery Island as we preferred to relax on board but by all accounts other passengers said it was better than the Isle of Pines. Our luck!
Participated in many of the on board activities such as trivia,bingo,casino etc and enjoyed the many bands and musicians wherever they performed, indoors or outdoors.
Special mention of 2 of the production shows in the Theatre, "Bravo" and "British Invasion" which were of real Broadway standard.
Needless to say we have taken advantage of making a future cruise deposit while on board as a result of this enjoyable experience. Read Less

We picked this cruise because we we invited to cruise with friends that surprised us with them renewing their vows. The Captain did the service and the staff made the day so very special for our friends.It was very special to be there with ... Read More

We picked this cruise because we we invited to cruise with friends that surprised us with them renewing their vows. The Captain did the service and the staff made the day so very special for our friends.It was very special to be there with them to see them do it again after 30 years. I was their bridesmaid 30 years ago and was so happy to be there again this time and be part of it. All staff concerned were very professional and made the trip just so special.
The fine dinning waiters from table 10 were absolutely spot on with their service and deserve a Huge 10 out of 10. Thank you guys for making out trip memorable.
All in all considering this was our 1st cruise we would give the whole experience a huge thumbs up. Thanks again for helping me with my dissabilities.
I was very impressed with the hygiene practiced by the staff and the lovely personalities of all of the staff. Read Less

Felt that the Princess experience has been dumbed down for the Australian / New Zealand market. More focus on partying and sales than anything else. Port lecturer delivered what was standard spiel even though the detail did not apply. For ... Read More

Felt that the Princess experience has been dumbed down for the Australian / New Zealand market. More focus on partying and sales than anything else. Port lecturer delivered what was standard spiel even though the detail did not apply. For example talked about the market in Noumea and how to get there and noted it was open to mid day. We berthed after 1pm!
Buffet seemed to have a really random selection of items. No theme. Quality not that good. Food in MDR generally better.
Overall a pleasant experience. Certainly not one to rush back too. If you like beaches and drinking then you might enjoy it more than we did.
Was really surprised at the number of school aged children aboard. As it was not school holidays they were missing school! Fortunately they were not to intrusive however they did take over the pool area.
Embarkation and disembarkation very smooth. Read Less

This was our second cruise but the first on the Sun princess, As this ship had been plauged by the virus we were delayed by two hrs before we could board that did not worry us at all as it was explained to us in a email the reason why , ... Read More

This was our second cruise but the first on the Sun princess, As this ship had been plauged by the virus we were delayed by two hrs before we could board that did not worry us at all as it was explained to us in a email the reason why , the ship is showing her age a bit but she still looks glamorous in every sense of the word, our cabin was clean and airy the bed was very comfortable, And our cabin Attendant kennedy made sure all was just perfect for us ,every day,
the Food was to us first class weather it was the restaurants or the buffet,
The Entertainment also was world class. my hands are still sore from clapping.
We would like to thank all the staff in the dinning rooms , the cafe, the bars ,the deck attendants etc they all deserve recognition, THANK YOU and THANK YOU sun Princess for giving my husband and i a wonderful, 10 day cruise we will never forget , we will be cruising with you again within two years..
K and M Arps Read Less

Just returned from 10 day cruise in Pacific. Overall very nice made more special by Renewing our Vows on board. To start with embarkation was as expected a little busy with a later than normal boarding due to extra sanitisation taking ... Read More

Just returned from 10 day cruise in Pacific. Overall very nice made more special by Renewing our Vows on board. To start with embarkation was as expected a little busy with a later than normal boarding due to extra sanitisation taking place. The average age of cruisers would have been around 70 ,even though we are a lot younger made no difference to us . We chose anytime dining which I understand is relatively new on board and can recommend this as we got to meet new people most nights with great conversation had. Entertainment most nights was very good with special guests coming on board and the usual Princess singers and dancers in between.
We had most breakfasts and lunches at Horizons ( ok only) and we choose specialty restaurants for dinners. Special mention to Stirling Steakhouse , very nice indeed.
We did go on any Princess organised shore excursions, instead either went for walks or organised our our private excursions which suited our needs and more importantly our budget.
Special mention to the staff who organised our Renewal of Vows package, cannot speak highly enough of them , very highly recommended to those considering.
Did not use the gym but it looked spacious with plenty of equipment and nice view out to sea.
On the last night we watched movie under the stars for something different, can recommend if you need quieter night or if travelling with younger ones.
The ship itself overall was very nice ( staff great) with everything functioning and working, did not witness and issues. It is getting a little tired but did not detract from overall experience.
Will we go again , yes absolutely. Read Less

The Sun Princess still provides excellent dining, entertainment, activities, port & shore excursions and an overall service experience.
The repeated noro virus problem is a worry though. Embarkation was delayed to further ... Read More

The Sun Princess still provides excellent dining, entertainment, activities, port & shore excursions and an overall service experience.
The repeated noro virus problem is a worry though. Embarkation was delayed to further sanitize facilities. The steps required to combat this health situation also tends to reduce the overall cruise experience, with library books and written material missing, special sales reduced etc. Whilst I am not sure that Princess is at fault, since cases were reported very early, it does create a lot of extra work for the crew as well!! Perhaps the buffet could be reconfigured though (like the Pacific Eden Pantry) to permanently get away from passengers handling food at the buffet etc.
Basically, this short cruise gave us an opportunity to visit family in Cairns,and friends at Port Douglas, so we weren't looking for excursions (we have visited these ports many times before). Although, we were keen to see how Airlie Beach has fared since the Cyclone. We were also keen to see Willis Island for the first time. It was interesting to hear from one of the officers stationed on this Weather Station by radio broadcast to all on board and to witness a weather balloon launch.
The entertainment on board is still very good. We enjoyed all of the acts as well as the Princess Dancers and Singers, the Orchestra and the other music throughout the cruise.
We are still booked on future cruises because of the overall positive experience and rewards program. Read Less

We had our annual convention on board the Sun Princess so had no choice of ships or cruise line. This line caters for the old and very old. Passengers lived in fear for the total time of contracting Nora virus which has been on this ship ... Read More

We had our annual convention on board the Sun Princess so had no choice of ships or cruise line. This line caters for the old and very old. Passengers lived in fear for the total time of contracting Nora virus which has been on this ship since January The ship is old and out dated. The wait staff were great, they had a huge job keeping the virus at bay. The ship was very clean and food hygiene was also very good. Officers were never seen, staff of rank when about not friendly at all. Customer service desk also un friendly. Our owners suite was large, bathroom excellent. Bedroom was spacious also with a very comfortable bed. Both TV were large and modern. Room steward was excellent. Lounge suite needed a good clean by professional hot water extraction, all carpets also required professional cleaning. We will never sail on the Sun Princess again. We had 4 of us, 1 suite and 1 room with a window. With our room and the other one cost us $11,000.00 for 7 days. Read Less

We sailed with a group of 22 and this itinerary was the first choice of the group, many of whom hadn't cruised before.
Embarkation and disembarkation were smooth.
For a large group it was difficult to find any public area on sea ... Read More

We sailed with a group of 22 and this itinerary was the first choice of the group, many of whom hadn't cruised before.
Embarkation and disembarkation were smooth.
For a large group it was difficult to find any public area on sea days to meet together without us paying for a meeting room. In the end we met in the Horizons buffet dining area mid afternoon but not as comfortable as a lounge area. The entertainment was very good - The Adele experience and A NZ singer giving excellent performances and the food was satisfactory. The ship was full and I was told that this is always the case as it is a cruise for which you need no passport so is very popular with Australians.
The staff were courteous and clearly working very hard and didn't have much time for casual interaction of to go the extra mile.
We were late to embark as the ship had extra cleaning due to the Norovirus on the previous cruise and 2 days into the voyage the captain came over the PA to say that again they had to take serious measures to combat the gastro intestinal illness on the ship. This measure was accepted by everyone I saw and it meant extra vigilance, hand washing, and you couldn't serve yourself in the buffet or drinks which slowed everything down considerably. Two people in our group became ill and were confined to the cabin which is standard procedure.
The weather was gorgeous and the port sparkly and warm. We took the little Sugar train in Port Douglas which was a trip of about 20 minutes each way with a short stopover in the middle. It's a little bit of history and quite pleasant without being strenuous. The train stop is next to the wharf. We didn't take any of the ship's shore excursions but noted there were independent operators at the wharf in each port.
Tendering in Airlie Beach and Port Douglas was assisted by huge catamarans which joined the ships tenders transferring passengers, making it a quick and comfortable journey. Read Less

Embarkment went very smoothly, unfortunately, the ship was leaving later than planned because of the Norovirus from the previous cruise. This is the sister ship to the Sea princess, so we had no problems getting around the ship as I have ... Read More

Embarkment went very smoothly, unfortunately, the ship was leaving later than planned because of the Norovirus from the previous cruise. This is the sister ship to the Sea princess, so we had no problems getting around the ship as I have previously done 2 other cruises on her. First time on the Sun. We were on this cruise with 2 friends that we met on the Aria last October. This was their first time on Princess, and they enjoyed this cruise very much.
Our cabin was small, I think if we had not had the bed as a queen, it would have been better, I had a very small space to get around the end of the bed and the wardrobe.
For the first 5 days, everything was served by the staff because of the problems on the previous cruise... We got used to this, and when after the days you could serve yourself, I saw a number of people standing there, and then realised they could serve them selves, I did it too, it's funny what you get used too...
Service in the Anytime dining was very well organised. We found a waiter we liked (Exel) so asked to be put on his table for the rest of the cruise, so basically booked the table for the last 6 days.
Tenders were very good over to Champagne Bay, we got there early and did not even need a tender number.
All in All, I would say this was the best cruise we have done out of the 5.
Loved the Sun Princess and would not hesitate to go on her again!!. Read Less

The time was right for a getaway an the caring nature of the service personnel an other crew members was excellent.
A top Enrichment Guest Speaker presented informative and interactive talks, Stage Performers were also top line, and ... Read More

The time was right for a getaway an the caring nature of the service personnel an other crew members was excellent.
A top Enrichment Guest Speaker presented informative and interactive talks, Stage Performers were also top line, and Catering was tasteful with variety even before considering the speciality dining options.
Ports were interesting, with affordable on-shore options. Vanuatu ports stops were marvellous an getting on an off the ship was so easy under the watchful eye an helping hands of the Security Team.
Extra precautions were in place due to problem with virus on previous cruise but this was well managed over the early days of the cruise and I not interfere with our enjoyment and participation.
Plenty of relaxation lounges and deck options and excellent whirlpools after shore walks to relax the body.
Champagne Bay is certainly a South Pacific Paradise, Luganville a friendly town, Port Vila a shoppers haven, Lifou an explorers treat, and Noumea a place to visit.
Sun Princess a little worn in places but comfortable, clean and welcoming. Read Less

Please respect that this is a MODERATED community for people who absolutely LOVE cruise travel or want to learn about cruise travel.

Registration to Cruise Critic’s Cruise Community is free! We require that you use a valid e-mail address. You will receive an e-mail asking you to verify your e-mail address before you are allowed to login and post on the boards. Again, please disable your spamblocking or verification software so that you receive our activation e-mail. Also, as a member of Cruise Critic you will receive copies of our weekly newsletter plus our "Cruise Sails" and one "Member Offer" mailing. Should you not want to continue to receive these e-mailings, simply unsubscribe by following the directions in the newsletter. By agreeing to become a member, you are agreeing to receipt of our newsletters.

Additionally, we do insist that you abide by the rules and policies detailed at this link: Community Guidelines.

This is a moderated Community. If you do not agree with the terms and conditions of this Web site and do not wish to be bound by them, please do not use this Web site or continue the registration process. Cruise Critic reserves the right to remove any content in its sole discretion. Additionally, if you violate our Community Guidelines you may lose your posting privileges — permanently — without warning. By continuing the registration you are agreeing to the terms.

These are moderated message boards. What this means is that we do our best to remove all objectionable messages from the boards. It also means that you cannot say whatever you’d like on the forums. If you are looking for an "anything goes" setting, Cruise Critic might not be the place for you. Understand, too, that our community is comprised of folks who LOVE to cruise. It therefore stands to reason that they will have a favorite cruise line or port of call — in other words, they are "fans" and will sometimes take offense when a brand new member has arrived on the scene to bash a cruise line.

Keep in mind that we do not prescreen posts so there may be a period of time when an inappropriate post is visible. Please use the Report A Post icon located in the UPPER right hand corner of each posting if you wish to report a violation of our Community Guidelines. All messages express the views of the author, and neither the owners of Cruise Critic Message Board Forums, nor Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. (developers of vBulletin) will be held responsible for the content of any message.

By agreeing to these rules, you warrant that you will not post any messages that are obscene, vulgar, sexually-orientated, hateful, threatening, are in violation of our Community Guidelines or otherwise violative of any laws.

Cruise Critic reserves to right to remove, edit, move or close any thread (discussion) for any reason from the forums without warning. or notification to the Community. Additionally, we also reserve the right to deny posting privileges to any member at our sole discretion.

You hereby grant Cruise Critic the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform and display any message posted in our message board community (in whole or in part) worldwide and/or to incorporate it in other works in any form, media or technology now known or later developed.

Our mission is to provide a haven on the Internet free of harassment and advertising for our community members’ enjoyment. Any company or person(s) that interfere with that mission risk losing their posting privileges.

If you have any questions about how our community is moderated, please address them to our Community Manager via e-mail at community@cruisecritic.com. Please do not post on the boards.

Thank you,

LauraSCommunity Manager

Become a cruise insider

Get the best cruise deals, along with the latest news and insider tips, right to your inbox